I Need To Get This Out
by aphrael21
Summary: What if you spent every night talking on the phone to the CEO of a major gaming company? How would you feel? SetoTéa Chapter six is up! COMPLETE
1. Anxiety

**I Need To Get This Out…**

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters in any way, shape or form. If I did, then I wouldn't have to do this…

Hopefully, you enjoy the musings of these two characters.

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Dear Diary,

I need to get this out. I need to write about what I'm feeling before the moment is gone. If I don't do it soon, I'm going to go absolutely Bonkers. With a capital B! It's taken me a long time to figure this out but I've come to a true and earth-shattering conclusion.

Sorry if this starts to get weird, Diary, but my thoughts are kind of all over the place about him. May as well start with that revelation anyways.

I have a crush on a guy. A really good guy. A guy I could think seriously about falling in love with. Hell, I think it's already happened.

But the problem is he doesn't know it. I know, I know that's how a crush is supposed to work. I'm supposed to pine away in silence and misery, sighing longingly every time I see him, while he carries on as if he doesn't have a clue about it.

Wait, wait for it, it gets worse, trust me. Big drum roll here, please.

I can't tell him how I feel because I don't know if he feels the same way.

It all started out innocently enough. A mutual love for cartoons, believe it or not. _Inuyasha_ cartoons to be exact. I never would have figured him as the type when I first met him. He was all about his business, the cards and duelling but slowly, somehow, that changed.

Oh, so you want to know how this all started? You want the dish for this part? All right then, well, here goes.

It all started a couple of months ago when I went to school early one morning. I needed to finish a math assignment and I had forgotten to bring my textbook home the night before. Figured it would be easy enough to finish just before math class started, since math is one of my favourite subjects. Should have known **HE** would be there, my future crush. But at that moment, to me, he was just a jerk. An arrogant, cold, heartless CEO too interested in his business and his duelling skills to ever stoop down long enough from his pedestal to say anything to me.

Anyways, getting back to the story, I walked into the classroom that fateful morning, humming something to myself and stopped dead in my tracks. I knew he was always at school early, but I never knew how early. It was about 7 am and seeing as how class didn't start until 8:15, I hadn't expected anyone to be there. Surprise, surprise. He didn't even look up and it was then that I noticed the ear buds in his ears. Probably listening to something on the laptop that was propped open in front of him. Couldn't even hear me as I made for my desk. I sat behind him and a row over in this class. Dumping my bag on my desk, he still didn't know there was another person in the room. A quick peak at his monitor over his shoulder and I was stunned. He was watching an episode of _Inuyasha_.

And now it gets weird, Diary. Very weird.

He laughed. Out loud. Not a chuckle or a guffaw but a true, honest to goodness, heartfelt laugh. The walls reverberated the sound of that laughter and you want to know something, Diary? It sounded nice. Complete and utter shock rooted me in place as I heard him chuckle under his breath once more.

Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp, was laughing at Miroku's attempted seduction of Sango.

For as long as I've known him, I've never seen him appear to be so… so… human. His blue eyes weren't so cold and his soft looking mouth wasn't set in its usual arrogant grimace. I really think that's when these feelings started.

Since I sat behind him and a row over, I made no attempt to hide my presence as I searched through my bag for my math binder. Another quick glance at his computer screen was my undoing. He caught me staring at him but the funny thing is, he was blushing just as badly as I was. The surprise and embarrassment both of us felt seemed to melt the ever-present tension between. That's what it felt like to me, anyways. I'm not psychic enough to read what's going on in his head. A moment later and his guard was back up. I could see it in his eyes, the set of his lips and the slight clenching of his fist as he regarded me.

"Quit staring, Gardner. Or haven't you realized that it's rude?" That sarcastic voice dripped malice and I knew then and there that I'd hit a nerve by catching him in that relaxed state. Obviously, he didn't realize that I knew he was human. All work and no play makes Kaiba a dull boy.

Those were the only words he said to me that day; although I could feel the daggers his eyes threw in my direction just before lunchtime. The next morning I came in at the same time and found him in the exact same position, laptop open and his ear buds jacked in, as the day before. The only difference was that he noticed me when I walked through the door. Picked up on the hesitation that I felt before I strode over to my desk. Something flickered across his eyes too quick for me to catch but I swear it looked like amusement. Was he happy that I had shown up early again?

"_Inuyasha_ again?" I quipped softly to myself. He must have heard me somehow as he spun around in his seat and fixed me with his icy/hot gaze.

"Do you have something against my leisure time activities, Gardner?" Something in the way he said my name made me blush and stare at the floor, my hands dry-washing in front of me. I hadn't meant that comment to be heard. Maybe he was the psychic one? Whatever. The main point was that his voice had been different, a little softer, less controlled.

"No, I don't. It's just nice to see that Duel Monsters isn't your **only** leisure time activity." His eyes narrowed slightly as I lifted mine to his. He was probably trying to figure out if I was being serious or sarcastic. Well, let him ponder that, I thought and sat down at my desk, pulling out my English book. I stared at the back of his head for the rest of the morning, inconspicuously, over the edge of my book.

An unspoken agreement rose up between us for the next week or two. I can't quite remember how long it lasted. All I knew was that I was at school everyday by 7 am. The minute I walked into the classroom, I'd put my stuff down and when I turned around to face the seat he occupied, he'd be looking at me with those blue eyes of his and wordlessly hand me a set of ear buds so I could listen with him. But at the first hint of movement in the hallway, the ear buds were relinquished and I quietly slipped back to my seat.

Not a single word ever passed between us, written or spoken, on those mornings.

Not a 'hello' or a 'thanks' or anything until that Friday.

The routine continued that morning. With my bags already on my desk, I waited for the ear buds to be passed to me. Instead, I was handed a small notebook and a pen. Two words were written on that page.

**Phone number?**

Let me tell you, Diary, that startled the hell out of me. Threw me off balance. But it pleased me too. A warm, fuzzy feeling grew out of the pit of my stomach as I took the little black book out of his hands and our fingers touched. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing as I saw the faintest of blushes creep onto his cheeks.

So I gave him my number. Who knows, I thought, maybe he will actually call me. I seem to be the only one in our little group that he doesn't deliberately antagonize. And our little _Inuyasha_ meetings in the morning had grown to be quite comfortable, even without us speaking to each other.

Those early morning gatherings were one thing that the guys didn't know anything about. And I was going to keep it that way. Call me self-centred, call me selfish but they just wouldn't understand. They were constantly berating him, well Joey was at least and Tristan would chime in his two cents worth every once in a while. Yugi and I would hold our peace and let Joey vent. In my opinion, it was better for him to get it out than to keep it bottled up inside where it could fester into him doing something stupid just to prove a point.

That night, the phone rang at 9 pm on the dot. Somehow, someway, I knew it was him. Seto Kaiba. The phone rang once more so I took a deep breath and answered it. That's how this whole, crazy, scary, wonderful, amazing thing happened. That's the dish, Diary, and I'm still no closer to how I'm going to resolve my feelings for him.

He's called me every night for the last two months. Nine pm on the dot. Sometimes, it's just to say good night and other times we'll talk til three or four in the morning in hushed, whispery voices. Hushed on my part at least. I don't think my parents would be too thrilled if they ever found out about this. There was school to think about.

We never mentioned these talks in school. In fact, we practically ignored each other when Yugi, Joey and Tristan were around. A glance or a small flick of his fingers in my direction was enough to let me know that he noticed me, that I existed to him as no one else did.

I just wish there was more to us than just existence. Every night since that first phone call, I've dreamed about him holding me, kissing me, touching me til I'm ready to weep with frustration. I've lost count of the number of mornings I've woken up still feeling the ghostly press of his lips on mine.

The saddest part of this whole stupid situation is that I don't think I'm strong enough to tell him how I feel. He is one of the best things in my life outside of my circle of friends. They still don't like him very much even though he's not quite as glacial and sarcastic as he used to be. They can't see beyond his cold, mocking exterior to the lonely little boy within, the part of him he lets me glimpse occasionally when we're on the phone together. That's why we still ignore each other at school.

I'd be a fool to ruin the tenuous ground we're treading on by proclaiming my feelings for him. Just like the phone number incident, I'm going to wait for him to make the first move. That's the smartest move, for me. Or is it?

Great! Now, I'm second-guessing myself. They say you only get one chance at happiness. Opportunity knocks once. What if this is mine? Am I being foolish in not telling him? I know that sometimes he looks at me differently. There's an intensity in that particular gaze that's made me wonder more than once what's going through his head at that particular moment. It's given me hope more than once. On those nights, I'd wait impatiently for the clock to reach 9 pm and I'd jump 10 feet into the air when the phone rang at the first gong of the clock downstairs. I wondered if tonight he'd talk about why he looked at me that way. But he never did.

If he'd asked me on those nights that single question, I wouldn't have hesitated in answering 'Yes'. Hell, the words wouldn't have been out of his mouth before I'd answer.

Oh, diary, I'm so confused. I just want to let it all out and confess how I feel. **Do** you think he'd hate me if I did, considering what we've shared over the last couple of months? Hmm, maybe I should stop being so scared and just…

_**

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RING RING RING**_

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It's 9 pm. Gotta go…

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"Hello, Téa? I… have a question to ask you…"

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Well, now we know how she feels…

What about him?

Yes, there will be a second chapter. It's a one-shot in two parts.

Author's Note: This was a crazy little one shot that was inspired by my friend, flyinggoomba, after we got off the phone one night. I had to get this out of my head. The idea was driving ME bonkers. And chapter 6 for Christmas Chaos will be out in the next couple of weeks, too. Sorry for the wait. The plot bunny has switched the to-kill-ya to rum.

Please review and tell me whether you like or hate it. Anyways, thanks for everything…

Aphrael21 ;)


	2. Frustration

**Chapter 2 – Frustration **

Now we know what happened from Téa's POV. Let's see what's going on in Seto's…

Disclaimer: Don't own it, but I want to…

**Rain5101** – The to-kill-ya is yours. My plot bunny makes wicked daiquiris.

And yes, Kaiba may seem a little OOC with his watching _Inuyasha _but that is about to be explained in this chapter.

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Journal Entry 

I need to get this out and the only safe place to do this is in a journal. Who am I kidding? It's a diary. And I'm forced to use a paperbound to record all of these things. The computer is most definitely in need of a new security program now that I know Mokuba, my dear sweet **innocent** little brother, has been hacking into it on a regular basis to try and find out what's been happening to me for the last couple of months. I must admit, though, that my penmanship could use a brush up.

Even I don't understand what's happened to me recently. That's the crux of the whole matter. The bane of my existence, the shining sunshine of my life has made its' appearance and it all comes down to a single word.

A single name, really.

Téa.

More specifically, the best friend of my greatest rival in Duel Monsters.

This **wasn't** supposed to happen. My life was under perfect control – my control – until she showed up early for class one day and disturbed my morning ritual.

I don't have a lot of free time to waste on frivolous activities such as shopping and video games. What little of it I do have is the hour before school starts. That's when my ritual takes place.

_Inuyasha_ cartoons.

For some reason, it amuses me. Greatly. I was never allowed to watch cartoons as a child. My stepfather drilled into me that it was a waste of time to watch that annoying drivel on the idiot box. I was pushed relentlessly in my studies to be the best. Second place was not good enough for a Kaiba, even an adopted one.

Number one was the be all and end all of school and business. It was drilled into me so hard and for so long that I still feel guilty every morning for turning on my laptop and downloading the next two episodes for my viewing pleasure instead of checking stock quotes or working on program code. Even when I was duelling against Pegasus in Duellist Kingdom, I kept my secret hidden. I was appalled at the idea of having anything in common with that white-haired, pompous freak. But his toons were nothing like the ones that I enjoyed watching. His truly were mindless drivel, especially that stupid Mr. FunnyBunny. _Inuyasha_ has a plot line whereas Mr. FB has nothing but cheap, slapstick pranks. _Inuyasha_ has witty dialogue, character progression and interaction while that rabbit just prances around trying to **be** funny. That's why I allow Mokuba to watch cartoons, any cartoons he wants, as long as he stays away from anything that foolish and stupid. I don't want him to miss out on this part of his childhood as I did.

Then, **she** came in and caught me in the act of indulging myself. Embarrassment, anger and envy warred for control as I stared at her as she stood by her desk, checking out my monitor. I knew my cheeks were brighter than a sunset but I thought smugly, so were hers. It was weird. For a moment, we were nothing more than two teenagers, almost 'checking each other out' I think is the phrase. Anger finally won out as I spat, "Quit staring Gardner. Or haven't you realized that it's rude."

I never have been good at controlling my anger. It's my defence mechanism. When I don't want someone to get too close, I get mad. It's worked so far in every situation I've come across. Little did I know that that was about to change.

That's how this whole thing started. A huge disruption to my perfectly ordered life. I couldn't help but glare at her at lunchtime, before I went to the office to face the mountain of paperwork that comes by being the CEO of the largest gaming company in the world.

And that is what made me write in this journal. That and the hacking. The only reason I knew my little brother, **angel** that he is, had been hacking into my system was the smear of peanut butter I found on the 'ENTER' key yesterday. He's smarter than I've given him credit for. I'm just praying that he hasn't found out about this journal. The only time I write in it is when he's fast asleep and the only thing that I write about is the situation I've started with Téa Gardner.

I'm admitting it. I started it. The blame is all on me. The second morning she came in early was my undoing. I'd been hoping and dreading that she would. My thoughts on the matter were so confused but when I saw her hesitate at the entrance to the room, everything I felt coalesced and I was… glad that she'd come. I watched her from the corner of my eye as she walked to her desk. She was so pretty in the early morning sunshine. Her blue eyes shone with an inner light that I'd never noticed before and her lips… no I can't go there. I'll embarrass myself too much by saying how much I wanted to taste that mouth. Damn. I almost ruined it all when my anger took over once more at her little whispered comment of "_Inuyasha_ again?" Her response to my sarcastic remark about leisure time activities made me smile inwardly. So, she was quick-witted, too. Not quite the dumb cheerleader.

For the next couple of weeks, we fell into a routine. She'd come in early and I'd wordlessly hand her a spare pair of ear buds to listen to _Inuyasha_ with me. The silence between us was comfortable. I never felt that I had to say anything in her presence. Just being near her was enough for me. When the hallways outside the classroom grew more active, she'd hand the buds over and we'd ignore each other for the rest of the day as if the morning ritual never existed. I couldn't let it end there, though. Anytime I saw her between classes, I'd acknowledge her somehow, usually with a quick flick of my fingers or a glance that captured her eyes.

One morning, though, as I waited for her show up, I decided that that wasn't enough for me anymore. I wanted more from her and that was when inspiration struck like a sledgehammer. Since we really couldn't 'hang out' at school together, it would have to be something a little more private. Meeting her outside of school somewhere was also out of the question since the press would be all over me the minute I stepped outside of my house. That left one option and one option only. Her phone number. Those were the only two words I wrote on a little pad of paper that I happened to have with me. Finally, she showed up. Taking a deep breath, this was a momentous occasion for me, I handed her that little pad of paper and waited for it to be thrown at my head.

It wasn't.

She contemplated it for a moment as I tried to control the blush that was threatening full bloom on my cheeks at the slight contact of our fingers. I can't tell anyone what that did to me. Then she scribbled something down and handed it back to me. A set of seven numbers was written there in neat script and she was smiling a little as I gave her the buds and we continued with our morning ritual.

Those numbers were burned into my memory almost immediately. I couldn't wait to go home that night after work and call her. Finally, I was really going to talk to her. That was when I realized I didn't know what to talk to her about. I didn't know much about her and I was pretty sure the reverse was true as well. Too bad, so sad. That wasn't going to stop me. I am a firm believer in taking control and that was exactly what I did. A little luck wouldn't have hurt, either.

Nine pm on the dot and I couldn't take it any longer. I called her. We talked. We talked for three hours that night. About nothing in particular either. Mostly about the teachers we had in school, the homework we'd been assigned. Trivial stuff, all of it, but it was nice to share it with someone who could understand my frustration at being given work that was beneath me. She was smarter than I'd given her credit for as well.

Now, we talk about everything. There are no rules to our conversations. Whatever pops into mind is discussed enthusiastically. I have no inhibitions and I'm sure she doesn't hold anything back either. The defences that I had so carefully built to keep people away have crumbled and melted over the course of these last couple of months. When we talk, the floodgates are opened. I don't think I've talked this much to anyone, let alone my little brother. He knows that I talk to someone at night but he doesn't know who it is. I'd be a fool to let him in on that little secret. I want to keep this to myself and for myself. I just wish that one topic would come up between us. One question really. If she asked it, the response would be an immediate, undeniable, irrevocable, earth-shattering "Yes."

Every night since that first phone call, my dreams have been haunted with hot caresses and the sound of skin sliding across skin. Her voice whispers sweet nothings in my ear that drive me to the brink of madness and longing. I don't know how many mornings I've woken up, tangled and sweaty in my sheets, with the memory of her heated eyes above me and a heaviness between my thighs that refuses to be satisfied.

The glances and gestures during school, after the morning ritual, are barely enough to keep me going until that night, when I can hear her voice as she giggles at our latest crazy conversation. I don't know how much more of this I can take. I'm at the breaking point.

I know her friends despise me. I'm the cold-hearted bastard, the arrogant snake, the human glacier. But she sees something else in me, something worth her attention. God knows, I need someone to take me as I am. I just wish I could let her take me in more ways than one. Damn.

I want to tell her how I feel. But that's impossible. What we share is more precious to me than anything else is in this world, except for my little brother. I can't risk losing it by broaching the subject of the feelings I have for her. I don't know if she feels the same way although almost every time I see her, there is a hopeful glint in her eye. When I call her on those nights, I want her to explain why she was looking at me that way. But, she never does and that subject is the only one I will not broach until I know for sure how she feels.

What if we could have more…? What if I asked her how she felt? Would she laugh over the phone and hang up on me? I took a chance in getting her phone number in the first place. What if this chance worked out just as well? They say you only have one chance at happiness. Maybe this is mine. Am I strong enough to ask her myself? Do I have the courage to face the possibility of this kind of rejection? Of laying my heart out on the floor for her to stomp all over, should she choose to? Control. I need to get control of myself before I go crazy. I **need** to get this out. I **need** to ask her that one all-important, all-encompassing question that has ruled my thoughts and dreams for the last two months or so. I will **not** be denied.

**_

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BONG…B _**

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There's the grandfather clock downstairs. Nine pm on the dot. 996-2325…

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"Hello, Téa? I… have a question to ask you…" 

"Seto, that's good because… I have something… to tell you… but… you go first."

_**

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FIN **_

So, how did you like my one shot in two parts? Hopefully, there was enough there to explain Kaiba's love of _Inuyasha_. I've always pictured him as a guy that could like animé as long as it was witty and well-written. It's his only guilty pleasure.

Thanks for all of the reviews and look for Chapter 6 of "Christmas Chaos" in the next couple of weeks. Sigh, only two more chapters til it's finished. Sniff. It's been so much fun.

Aphrael21 ;)


	3. Resolution

**Face to Face, Eye to Eye**

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm doing this for fun… seriously.

Since I did promise to write a third chapter to this story, here is a little teaser for it. I'm slowly working on it more and more but I need to get myself back into the right mood to write it and that hasn't happened recently... Sorry for the long wait but at least you have this to start thinking about...

**Azurite**: Thanks for the tips. I didn't know how long a Japanese phone number was and well, sorry about the "cartoon" usage. I wrote both parts fairly late in the night and my mind wasn't quite what it should have been at that hour… :)

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_"Hello, Téa? I… have a question to ask you…" _

"_Seto, that's good because… I have something… to tell you… but… you go first."_

Seto gulped inaudibly at Téa's statement over the phone. This was the decisive moment. He'd find out if he'd been a fool when he heard her answer to his question. To date, this was his toughest challenge yet. Defeating his stepfather in that crazy duel with the virtual world crumbling around his ears was a cakewalk compared to this. Hell, escaping from a pool full of ravenous piranhas without a scratch was as easy as … well a lot easier than asking her a single question. What he was about to do would bare his heart and soul, leaving him defenceless and open to rejection, loss and utter humiliation.

"Seto? You still there? Is everything okay?" Téa was little nervous. He usually wasn't this quiet on the phone. She'd been expecting to hear about his afternoon at work, it was Friday after all, and not the deathly silence her ear was currently bathed in. At least she didn't have to worry about the length of the phone call tonight. Her parents had left late last night for a business weekend in Los Angeles. They'd even promised to bring her back something nice.

But that was neither here nor there.

Seto made up his mind. Over the phone was not the best way to handle this. He needed to see her face, her eyes especially, to judge her reaction. Just her voice wouldn't tell him much and if she hung up the phone… He didn't even want to contemplate that.

With his mind finally made up and his courage almost in tatters, he finally spoke to the girl on the other end of the receiver he was holding. "I'm sorry, Téa. I can't do this on the phone tonight. I'm sending Roland to get you right now."

"Seto, is everything okay? Just tell me that much," her voice quavered as she heard the resignation in his. What was going on? He'd never asked her to come over before. Not that they had discussed it or anything. It had never crossed her mind before either.

"Everything is… fine. I… I just need to see you, that's all. Roland will be there in ten minutes. See you then." The conversation was cut short as he hung up the phone. He couldn't give her a chance to say 'No'. Looking over his latest journal (diary) entry, his resolve strengthened. Finding out how she felt was consuming him. He needed an answer.

He'd started this and he was about to finish it, no matter what the outcome was, no matter how many pieces his heart was about to be shattered into.

Picking up the phone once more, he relayed his orders to Roland quickly and with more confidence than he was feeling.


	4. Almost There

**Almost There…**

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm doing this for fun… seriously.

Well, now that we all know how they feel about each other, what's going to happen next? Are they going to have enough courage to spill the beans? Or will one of them chicken out? Nah, I can't see that happening…

Yes, I have included the teaser from Chapter 3, but that's just so that you can really follow along with what's happening between them. I'm trying to keep it a little light…

* * *

Seto gulped inaudibly at Téa's statement over the phone. This was the decisive moment. He'd find out if he'd been a fool when he heard her answer to his question. To date, this was his toughest challenge yet. Defeating his stepfather in that crazy duel with the virtual world crumbling around his ears was a cakewalk compared to this. Hell, escaping from a pool full of ravenous piranhas without a scratch was as easy as … well a lot easier than asking her a single question. What he was about to do would bare his heart and soul, leaving him defenceless and open to rejection, loss and utter humiliation.

"Seto? You still there? Is everything okay?" Téa was little nervous. He usually wasn't this quiet on the phone. She'd been expecting to hear about his afternoon at work, it was Friday after all, and not the deathly silence her ear was currently bathed in. At least she didn't have to worry about the length of the phone call tonight. Her parents had left late last night for a business weekend in Los Angeles. They'd even promised to bring her back something nice.

But that was neither here nor there.

Seto made up his mind. Over the phone was not the best way to handle this. He needed to see her face, her eyes especially, to judge her reaction. Just her voice wouldn't tell him much and if she hung up the phone… He didn't even want to contemplate that.

With his mind finally made up and his courage almost in tatters, he finally spoke to the girl on the other end of the receiver he was holding. "I'm sorry, Téa. I can't do this on the phone tonight. I'm sending Roland to get you right now."

"Seto, is everything okay? Just tell me that much," her voice quavered as she heard the resignation in his. What was going on? He'd never asked her to come over before. Not that they had discussed it or anything. It had never crossed her mind before either.

"Everything is… fine. I… I just need to see you, that's all. Roland will be there in ten minutes. See you then." The conversation was cut short as he hung up the phone. He couldn't give her a chance to say 'No'. Looking over his latest journal (diary) entry, his resolve strengthened. Finding out how she felt was consuming him. He needed an answer.

He'd started this and he was about to finish it, no matter what the outcome was, no matter how many pieces his heart was about to be shattered into.

Picking up the phone once more, he relayed his orders to Roland quickly and with more confidence than he was feeling.

* * *

The phone had already started beeping in her ear before she'd realized he'd hung up. She 'hmphed' once as she set the phone back in its cradle, restoring a peaceful silence to her bedroom. Too bad her mind wasn't just as peaceful. Different thoughts and ideas swirled and commingled, collided and exploded as she thought on his last few words. He **needed** to see her. Something about how he'd said it finally registered in her head.

Nervous.

He'd been **nervous** when he'd said that. Seto Kaiba, the epitome of cool confidence and caustic sarcasm, the supreme pinnacle of ice-godliness, had been terrified at the very thought of needing to see her. To top it off, he'd **stuttered**. Sighing once as she closed her cloud-covered diary and shut off the lights in her room, she grabbed her keys and purse from the table in the kitchen and made her way to the front door.

His last few words rolled through her mind and she chuckled in mirth. It was so like him to send a car for her and just assume that she had no other plans or that she even had permission to go out that late at night.

Then again, what Seto Kaiba wanted, Seto Kaiba got and consequences be damned.

A small giggle bubbled out of her as she tried to picture him as he'd been at the end of their conversation but the image just wouldn't come, no matter how hard she tried. Nervous and Seto Kaiba just didn't belong in the same universe, let alone the same sentence. He'd duelled in nerve-wracking tournaments and faced numerous crazy opponents without breaking a sweat and yet, his voice had been tentative, almost unsure.

And all because of her.

That alone gave her a sense of accomplishment and control over what she planned to tell him later that night. Maybe he'd come to the same conclusion about the situation between them? Or was he rethinking their whole morning ritual and phone conversation relationship…? No, she had to stop before she drove herself crazy with thinking about it. Whatever happened at his place, happened and she would deal with it, probably with a box of Kleenexes, a sappy movie and a gallon of Haagen Daz Triple Fudge Brownie Overload. It would be better if she just went in expecting the worst, that way she wouldn't be disappointed when he broke her heart after she told him how she was feeling.

Twin beams of light bathed the front of the house as the promised car pulled into the driveway. Taking a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come, she opened the door and stepped out. The moment of truth was moments away, in a mansion the other side of town. Locking the door behind her, she walked briskly to the waiting vehicle and slid inside, letting Roland close the door to leave her alone with her thoughts as the car pulled back out into the street.

* * *

"Seto? Are you okay?" a small, drowsy voice asked from the doorway to his office. Stopping his pacing, he turned to regard his younger brother. His violet grey eyes were half-closed and his black hair was wilder than usual, proving that he'd fallen asleep on the couch in the family room again.

"Mokuba, what are you doing still up? I thought I'd tucked you in a half hour ago," Seto asked softly, watching him clutch his teddy bear 'Pooker' a little more tightly to his chest as he gave a face-splitting yawn.

"Well, I wanted to watch _Inuyasha_ and it came on at 8:30 tonight. I wanted to watch it in the family room cuz the couch is so comfortable butI fell asleep before I saw the end of the episode so I figured it was time to go back to bed," Mokuba admitted. No need to mention that he'd heard Seto curse loudly a couple minutes before, just as he was coming down the hallway. Why, he had no idea and he'd intended on finding out before he went back to bed but the pensive look on Seto's face made him put a halt to that idea. He was all worked up about something and the determination he saw in those blue eyes scared him a little. He'd never seen Seto look so ready to take on the world.

The hard look he'd focussed on Mokuba softened as he regarded his younger sibling, dressed in flannel pyjamas. Pooker was now being held by one paw, as Mokuba's other hand rubbed blearily at his eyes. "C'mon, Mokuba, let's get you back to bed. You're going to fall asleep at the door in a minute."

"But, you still haven't answered my question, Seto. Are you okay?" He felt Seto's arm drape across his shoulders and his body turn to walk back upstairs to his room.

"One way or another, I'll be fine," was the cryptic response he got. Mokuba didn't even question it as he put one weary foot on the first stair and climbed them slowly, Seto still silently by his side.

* * *

I know, I know, the suspense is driving everyone crazy but this story is only forming itself in spurts in my head. When I know how it goes, I write it down and post it. This is the only story that's been consuming me since "Jealous of a Cupcake". I can't even concentrate on "Christmas Chaos". Might have something to do with the fact that the weather here in Calgary has been awful for the last two weeks… ;)

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Aphrael21 ;)


	5. Thoughts and Fears

**Thoughts and Fears**

Yes, another spurt hit me late last night and I had to head to Tim Horton's for a cup of coffee to get it down on paper. Thanks to everyone for staying with it. One more chapter to go.

And the weather is still crappy here in Calgary. More rain for the next three days… at least I got to cut the grass before it became a jungle…

* * *

'Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.' (Author unknown)

* * *

The sky was the deepest of navy blues she saw as she looked up, except in the west where the sun was still attempting to finish setting. Stars twinkled above her head, like a handful of glitter that a celestial child had tossed in a fit of good cheer. The full moon itself was only partway up the sky but it outshone the stars by about a billion times. She sighed once and lowered her head from the out of the clouds to continue following Roland's silent form to the front door of the great mansion before her.

The ride from her house to his had been quiet. Too quiet. The moment Roland (referee, limo driver, jack-of-all-trades) had sat in the drivers' seat and put the car in reverse, the privacy window had gone up to leave her truly alone with her thoughts.

Trouble was, Téa couldn't think anymore. Too much confusion and too many emotions vied for her attention. If she'd listened to them all, she would have been a gibbering mess when she arrived. So she'd done the next best thing.

She'd snooped.

A lot could be found out about a person by the contents of their vehicle. Her dad was a prime example of that. Pictures of her and her mother littered the small place – the dashboard, hanging from the rear-view mirror, in the change collector. Chocolate bar wrappers let everyone know about his addiction to Mars Bars. The roll of paper towel in the back seat should anything spill. Small things like that were quite telling to anyone who was willing to pay close attention to the details. Looking around the back of the darkened limo, she made out a panel of buttons, softly illuminated in blue, jutting out from the roof of the car. Seemed like the best place to start, knowing Seto's obsession with electronics.

The first button she'd pushed had turned on the radio. Soft, classical music floated out of hidden speakers, surrounding her in the upbeat strains of Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik". Gentle enough, though, to soothe the savage beast after a particularly trying day at the office. Unbidden, an image of Seto Kaiba sprawled out on the seat with careless grace, head leaning back on the cushion, listening to the same music as he loosened the tie at his neck made her blush to the roots of her hair. She could almost smell the cologne he wore at school wafting around her in the darkened back seat. In fact, she almost felt like he was beside her at that moment, about to…

Ruthlessly she'd pushed the image out of her mind to prevent herself from falling into yet another steamy fantasy about him and pushed another button on the panel above her. With hardly a whisper, a TV screen unfolded itself from some secret compartment. It had stared blankly at her for a moment so she'd pressed the button next to it. By some small miracle, she'd managed to turn it on. What it played though, was something she hadn't been expecting at all. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes focussed on the small screen. _Inuyasha_ even here. And it was an episode she'd recognized well. The two of them had discussed it only the week before and she'd claimed it as her favourite. _Black-haired Inuyasha_. Where he'd turned fully human for the night and cradled his head in Kagome's lap. Something within her snapped. Something was going on here. Something that she didn't fully comprehend. Yet.

What was going on? Soft music, her favourite episode of _Inuyasha_. Was he setting her up for something? Should she dare to hope that maybe something was…? Her heart fluttered ecstatically at the possibility that…

The chain of thought was abruptly cut short, as Roland had chosen that particular moment to open her door. She'd been so absorbed in watching the TV and muddling over too many things in her head that she hadn't even felt the car come to a halt. Hopefully, Roland couldn't see the hard, red blush on her cheeks or hear the frantic rush of blood through her ears.

And now, here Téa was, still following Roland as he ascended the four steps that led to the front door of the Kaiba mansion. The door was unlocked, it seemed as he opened it and continued inside without a word yet. The silence had her wound tight as a spring and she kept her eyes trained on Roland's black jacket lest she lose him in the dimness of the house. That was the weird part. There were no lights on. Almost pitch black except for the light of the moon and stars as it shone through the various wide windows. She'd been expecting to see Seto waiting for her but there was no one around. Not a whisper echoed through the vast expanse of the front foyer except for the sounds of Téa taking off her shoes. It wasn't polite to enter another's home wearing outside footwear. Roland paused for a moment at a particularly loud sound of a shoe falling to the marble floor and half turned towards her.

If there had been any more light, he would have seen her blush. It felt almost… improper… to make so much noise when the house was so quiet and dark. Seeing that she stood ready once more, Roland continued to lead her to the grand, curving staircase, still bereft of speech.

Where was he taking her? How could he see so well in the dark? she wondered, a hand trailing along the marble balustrade as her feet carried her up the richly carpeted stairs. She could barely see her hand in front of her face. At least she had socks on. At the top of the stairs, Roland made a sharp left and continued down a dimly lit hallway. Doors lined each side, all standing closed and silent. She had no idea what was behind any them nor did she care at that moment. She had a hard enough time keeping up with Roland's dark jacket, which was almost swallowed by the darkness.

When he disappeared around a corner, Téa almost panicked at the thought of being lost in the mansion, by herself at night, before she realized that he'd gone up another staircase. What was with the house? So many stairs everywhere and no lights! Keeping her eyes on Roland with an intensity usually reserved for exams, she climbed up behind him, watching the jacket wrinkle at his shoulders every time he moved. Seto must have given him very specific instructions on where he was to bring her. What the hell was Kaiba up to? The use of his last name was not unintentional either. This was Kaiba, the business executive, the planner, the one who paid attention to every last facet. Every detail had been meticulously executed. Kaiba's fingerprints were all over this! Hell, he'd probably ordered Roland not to say a word lest he give anything away by accident.

Now, her curiosity was truly piqued. First, the nervousness on the phone. Second, the music and _Inuyasha_ in the car. Finally, the specific route she was taking to get to him. She had an idea that this might not be the most direct to where they were going. Maybe so she wouldn't run away when they'd met face to face.

And Seto Kaiba had planned all of this in less than ten minutes.

That's what blew her mind. Roland had arrived at her door exactly ten minutes after the conversation they'd had on the phone. She knew he was good, but this was amazing. A small smile crept across her lips. All of this for her. She could hardly keep the bounce out of her step as she walked down yet another dimly lit hallway.

"Oof," she exclaimed softly, the wind knocked out of her for a second as she carelessly slammed into Roland's back. Yet again, so lost in thought that she hadn't realized their long, silent journey had ended before an ornate set of double doors.

Roland turned once to look at his charge, eyes unreadable, before his hands reached out and pushed down the golden handles, swinging them wide open. Stepping back, he waved her in to the darkened room he'd revealed.

Téa smiled brightly at her guide as she stepped through the doors and she could have sworn on a stack of Bibles that a ghost of one flickered across his face. At least the mysterious journey was finally over, she thought, hearing Roland close the doors behind her. Nothing like prolonging the agony of what she needed to say to Seto. Her sock-covered feet made barely a sound as she tread tentatively across the thick carpet towards the single source of light she could see.

The gentle illumination of the moon through a set of open French doors didn't give away many details although she could make out the shadow a four-poster bed against the far wall of the spacious room. She was in a bedroom, presumably Seto's. This clinched it. Definite plans were in motion and about to come to fruition. What those plans were, she only had a vague idea about, but it didn't matter. She was touched that he'd done so much just to ensure their privacy. Meeting in some public area, with reporters able to pop out of the woodwork might have spoiled whatever he was going to ask her. School was definitely out of the question, not with her friends always by her side. She supposed he could have come over to her house but he didn't know that they'd left for that unexpected trip to the US. This was the most private place on Earth.

Sighing softly and quirking up her lips, she really wanted to know what was going through that head of his, she quickened her pace towards the balcony beyond the French doors. A soft voice called out to her, questioning and unsure.

"Téa?"

* * *

Seto's hands gripped the white rails of the balcony edge as he looked down to the garden below, still questioning whether what he'd done was wise. The moon shone down softly on the night-blooming flowers he'd asked specifically to be planted under his balcony. With his night-owl tendencies, their soothing colour and intoxicating fragrance gave him much needed respite from the computer code he was usually staring at til three or four in the morning. When he wasn't talking to her on the phone that was. The light fragrance of jasmine hung heavily in the still air, reminding him of Téa. During their morning ritual, he couldn't help but smell whatever it was she used in the shower or sprayed on as perfume. And it suited her perfectly. He had to be careful to not take too much of an interest in her scent at school. That had the possibility of making things awkward between them.

_Like what you're about to do isn't a million times more likely to do that?_

He groaned once and tightened his grip momentarily before releasing it in a fit a frustration as he pushed himself away from the edge, both literally and figuratively. A shaking hand ran through his hair as he paced to the other side of the balcony. He **had** to do this. He had to ask her how she was feeling about him. He had to know either way.

'_One way or another, I'll be fine,'_ he had said to Mokuba as he'd escorted him to bed. But now he wasn't so sure. Rejection was an option he wasn't used to playing with. Just the idea of her rejecting him sent cold shivers down his spine and made his hands ice-cold with sweat. No, he had to be strong even though she held all of the cards. He'd been in tougher spots before and made it out okay.

_Really? Are you positive of that?_

Looking up at the stars above, he forced himself to breathe deeply and evenly in an effort to stop the mad racing of his heart. Roland would be delivering her in a matter of minutes. He needed to stay calm and in control.

_Even though you aren't… she's the one with all of the answers and it scares you to death…_

Did she understand the clues he'd given her? The _Inuyasha_ episode was the big one. She'd declared it as her favourite during one of their nightly conversations last week. He'd forgotten about that one until she'd brought it up. Her preference for it had made him go back and re-watch it. And it was perfect. Inuyasha becoming fully human for the night, pillowing his head in Kagome's lap and telling her that he didn't hate her scent. In fact, just the opposite. Did she get the significance of it in reference to him?

He was betting that she did. She wasn't a dumb cheerleader. He'd found that out in their first phone conversation about teachers and homework. The one where he hadn't really known what to say to her. Somehow, he'd muddled through and now looked forward to those nightly conversations where he could vent about work and school. Téa didn't even mind if he let off steam about her friends.

She understood that there would always be a rivalry between Yugi and himself.

She understood that Joey Wheeler annoyed him like no other on the face of the earth.

She understood that Tristan Taylor just wasn't in his league of duelling skills.

She understood that and accepted it.

Such unconditional friendship was new to him. He'd never had friends before, except for Mokuba. But he didn't want to inflict his dark thoughts on such a sunny disposition. His brother had enough of his own problems to deal with without Seto adding more and making him worry. The younger Kaiba was already worried enough about the elder one. Did he sleep? Did he remember to eat? Did he finish all of his homework? In some ways, Mokuba was the mother that he'd lost so long ago. Making sure that the alarm clock was disconnected on the weekends. That his cell phone was hidden on Sundays. He smiled then as he thought of his little brother doing his best to make the world a slightly better place for his workaholic older brother.

The sound of the doors to his room unlatching caught his attention and brought him back from his reverie. She was here. The decisive moment was upon him. Taking a deep breath to calm the racing heart once more, he counted to ten to make sure that Roland had left the area after closing the doors once more. No need to have everyone know he was about to have his heart shattered.

A heart many didn't realize he had.

_Good luck._

"Téa?"

* * *

Whew, that took a lot more to get out that I thought it would. One final chapter left. No more fillers after this, I promise. More rain forecast for the weekend so I'll have lots of time to think about the last chapter for this and maybe start Chapter 12 for "Christmas Chaos". Sorry for the cliff-hanger but this was yet another spurt from my brain. The rest of it is in there somewhere, just need to drink copious amounts of coffee to tease it out.

Thanks again,

Aphrael21 ;)


	6. Revelations

**Revelations**

The rain poured ceaselessly here for a few days and the cauldron of ideas had bubbled over once again. I managed to have a lot of time to flesh it out since my car spent the entire day in the shop getting fixed. At least I got a good breakfast out of it. Here is the final chapter to my somewhat dramatic little fic. Enjoy…

* * *

This was it.

No turning back now.

No more questioning looks at school.

No more hesitation.

No more fear.

It was time to act.

To come clean.

* * *

The first thing that caught her notice as she stepped out onto the carpeted balcony was the glow of flowers from somewhere down below. The soft, questioning voice that had called her name and even the fluttering butterflies in her stomach were forgotten as she witnessed the seductive beauty of hundreds of softly incandescent flowers in what could only be a night-blooming garden. The subtle shine of the moon on the multitude of white and pale yellow petals gave the night an ethereal feel.

'If fairies existed, here is where they would live,' she thought, unable to stop herself from grasping the railing in her hands and leaning out for a closer look. Moths darted to and fro, from flower to flower, crickets chirped in the warm, night air, a gentle breeze carried the heady scent of jasmine to her nose and she inhaled deeply. Such an intoxicating fragrance that she breathed it in once more just to continue to enjoy it.

She'd never seen anything like this garden in her entire life. Smiling wryly to herself, she doubted that anyone outside of the household had ever seen it either. The most private place on earth. A small slice of heaven. And everyone thought that Seto had no heart, that he was a cold, unfeeling block of ice.

They were wrong.

This garden proved it. His heart was just buried deeper than anyone else's was.

* * *

His eyes watched from the shadows of the balcony as she stepped out soundlessly to follow the sound of his voice. Her gasp of breath as she leaned out to view the garden below pleased him immensely. Somehow, he'd known that she would like it. Téa had actually been his inspiration for the garden. Two months ago, it hadn't existed. It was only another patch of grass to be watered and cut by the army of gardening personnel that cared for the lands around the Kaiba mansion. But the day he'd seen her eyes, perfect sapphires, shining in the morning sun of the classroom had been the day the idea had struck with the subtlety of a lightning bolt.

The next two weeks had been spent online and on the phone contacting various horticultural centres around the world to ship what he needed to make the idea of his garden come to life. He'd never breathed a word of it to her but he was always on the balcony, talking to her during their nightly calls, and envisioning her standing there with him or relaxing next to him, hands held loosely and fingers twined together.

Every second he'd spent working on it and every dime he'd paid for it was worth it just to see the dazzling sparkle in her eyes and the bewitching smile on her lips at his creation. His own small slice of heaven.

Besides, her eyes were even more breathtaking in moonlight.

* * *

A deeper shadow near the wall of the balcony detached itself and moved slowly towards her, drawing her out of her reverie. It had to be Seto but he was different. There was no arrogant strut to his walk. No atmosphere of hostility. Nothing. This was the real Seto Kaiba walking to where she stood. No more defences, no sharp-witted comments. No business suits or school uniform either, she noted. In fact, she'd never seen him look so casual. So _normal_. Loose, black jeans rode low on his lean hips and her eyes followed the line of them all the way down to his red, sock-covered toes. Her lips curved up into a small smile as her eyes travelled back up, noting the gleaming, white buttons that sadly held the silk, crimson shirt closed over what was probably the most perfect chest ever created. The top button at his throat, however, was undone and offered her a tempting peak at the soft flesh of his collarbone. The slightly parted lips and the five o'clock shadow on his chin intrigued her but it was his eyes that finally captured her complete attention. Everything finally clicked. She was on to him.

A warm breeze came up and carried her scent to him. Light and floral, not jasmine though. More like gardenia. Another perfect fragrance for her. That same breeze tossed her chocolate hair forward, shadowing her eyes from his sight. He still couldn't believe he was doing this. Taking a deep, calming breath, he eyed her for a moment as his legs carried him towards her, letting the inner chaos of his thoughts go silent. Such a change from the school uniform he usually saw her wearing. Snug blue jeans hugged her dancer's legs, emphasizing their perfection in his eyes all the way down to her sock-covered feet. The navy blue t-shirt she wore fully emphasized other perfections that had plagued his dreams on a nightly basis. One more deep breath and he finally focussed his eyes on hers, noting the incredible smile on her lips in passing. Did she understand what was about to happen? What he was about to ask her?

He finally stood before her in his red socks and the moonlight caught in his hair like fairy dust. It shone with a light of its own and her fingers itched to find out what it felt like. From where she stood, it looked like silk. Would it be just as soft? Would he let her touch it if she asked? Would she need to if they were locked in a fiery embrace? Smiling to herself, she waited a silent moment before she said anything. No need to let him know that she understood his plan. Not yet anyways. She still had to find out exactly how he was going to ask her. That was going to be the fun part.

"What was so all-fired important that you just had to bring me here to ask?" Her tone of voice was light, amused and she crossed her arms over her chest in mock annoyance.

The hopeful intensity of his gaze on her made her feel like squirming but she just smiled a little more widely. No one had ever looked at her like that before and she doubted that he'd ever looked at anyone else like that either. His nervousness was almost too adorable for words.

If she was smiling,

Then maybe she knew what he was about to say,

Therefore…

_Just ask her already, you fool!_

Her smiling lips and understanding eyes were proof positive that she'd gotten the meaning behind his choice of _Inuyasha_ episodes but why was he still feeling such trepidation? His heart was about to burst out of his chest and the sweatiness of his palms had him in fear that they were dripping. What had ever made him want to do this in the first place? The rush of blood in his ears made it hard to think straight.

_ASK HER ALREADY!_

He almost winced as that last thought exploded with the force of a small atom bomb across his brain.

"C'mon Seto. Spill it. What's on your mind? You dragged me all the way over here for what? It'd better be important, too or you are so dead! I'm dying of curiosity right now," Téa exclaimed, trying to shake him back to his senses by keeping everything light and friendly.

_Friendly? Yeah, right, especially after last night's **especially**_ _frisky dream about him? Gimme a break!_

"I hope your parents don't mind that you're over here so late," Seto started, mentally slapping himself at the inane comment. The voice in his head seemed to agree as it threw up its proverbial hands in defeat and stomped off in a huff.

"They probably would mind, if they knew. But seeing as how they're 3000 miles away in the States for the weekend, I don't think their opinion matters. And I sincerely hope that's not what you wanted to really ask me," she replied, catching the edgy wriggling of his toes in the plush carpet out of the corner of her eye. How long was it going to take him to ask her? This could be an all night task if he didn't find his courage soon. She already knew what his question was and what her answer was going to be. Why was he wasting so much time that could be spent doing other things?

Great, now what was he supposed to say? He'd just made himself sound like a complete moron. The first time he'd **ever** done that in front of anyone besides Mokuba. Why was he prolonging his own torture, anyways? The trademark Kaiba coolness finally broke through and his whole posture changed. Feet flat, back straight and eyes focussed. No matter what was going on inside his head, it was absolutely necessary to keep his outer appearance as cool as possible.

Téa smirked, a pretty good imitation of Kaiba's own. So, he'd finally gotten his courage back from somewhere. It was about time, too. She knew he'd finally get tired of pussyfooting around the central issue and just dive right in. He was, after all, Seto **Kaiba**, teenage billionaire and master of his own destiny.

"You really want to know why I needed to see you? Why I sent Roland to pick you up without even bothering to ask for permission?" Seto was proud of himself for managing to keep his voice from cracking as he registered the moonlit shine of her eyes and the teasing smile on her lips. The slim possibility of happiness rested in her response to his question. Which she was still waiting for.

_Quit stalling already. Spit it out!_

Everything suddenly coalesced.

She knew.

**Everything**.

In an instant, the nervous twitch of his stomach, the wiggling of his toes and the sweatiness of his palms stopped. His heart, however, skipped at few beats as he saw the knowing look in her eyes.

He took a single deep breath and reached out to grasp her hand in his own. The shock of contact startled them both. This was the first time they'd ever physically touched each other on purpose. Hell, this was the first time they'd ever spoken so openly face to face. "I don't have any flowery words or anything to couch what I'm about to say. Just know that I've never said these words to anyone else before." She stood before him with baited breath and felt his fingers tighten around hers as he drew her in closer, toes touching. A single step really but one that bridged the chasm between them. Another deep breath from both of them broke the momentary silence.

"Téa, could we ever be more than 'just friends'?" A hand raked through his hair and he felt relieved to finally utter the words that burned in his soul.

The crickets chirped in counterpoint to her beating heart as her teasing smile changed to one of joy. Relief flooded her system and all she wanted to do was jump up and down as the chorus of angels from on high sang above her. She hadn't been wrong. Not in the slightest. She should have figured it all out with that_ Inuyasha_ episode.

Impulsively, her head tilted to the side as she pushed herself up on her tiptoes to place the sweetest of kisses on his lips without their noses mashing together. She almost cried out in loss as his hand disentangled itself from hers but it was replaced a second later around her waist, splaying itself across the small of her back. His other, clever hand quickly wound its way into her hair, deepening the kiss they were sharing. Too soon for either of them, the need for a breath of air forced them apart.

"Oh, Seto, do you know how long I've wanted you to ask that question?" she whispered softly.

"Too long," he managed to growl before claiming her lips once more. Was he dreaming? Was this really happening to him? It was almost too good to be true. Seto was about to pinch himself to make sure that he was actually feeling her lips on his, again, when he felt one of her hands slide teasingly up his chest, over the side of his neck and up into his hair. A distinctive sigh of pleasure escaped her as her fingers wound themselves into his chestnut tresses. That little sigh of hers gave him the perfect opening to take the kiss one step further.

His tongue slipped inside the warmth of her mouth and slid enticingly across hers. The soft mewls of pleasure he heard only encouraged him further in his explorations. Soft fingers traced lines down his back and the hand in his hair was used to push him closer to her. Not that he was about to complain at the feeling of her ever so soft body pushed up so intimately against his. That roaming hand on his back moved lower and lower while a curious pulling sensation and the feeling of cool air had him confused. Confused at least, until he felt her warm, little hand caressing his bare skin. She was a wicked one. Whoever would have thought that sweet, innocent looking Téa could be so… so… seductively devilish? Grudgingly, they parted once again for a breath of air and a minute to calm down racing hearts. Neither of them moved apart though, preferring to simply hold each other and enjoy what was happening between them.

"You still haven't answered my question, Téa. Could we ever be more than 'just friends'?" His voice was soft and silky with only the slightest hint of teasing underpinning it. Her cheek nuzzled comfortably against his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin through the silk shirt he wore. She breathed in the heady combination of his cologne and night jasmine, which gave her a moment to think about her response. Besides, his hand was very distracting as it continued to comb through her hair.

"Seto, I think we've always been more than just friends. We just didn't realize it," Téa answered and silence descended between them at the truth of her words.

Her rumble of laughter shook him out of his thoughts a moment later and he reluctantly separated from her enough so he could look into those azure jewels and find out just what was so funny.

She peered up at him, feeling the cool air where his presence had been a second before, through her thick lashes, mirth dancing merrily across her features. The curious look she was given only redoubled her giggles.

"What is so funny that you had to ruin such a tender moment?" Seto asked, cupping her face between his hands in a vain attempt at sternness.

"Do you think Miroku will ever get this lucky?"

The wicked gleam in her eye was too much for him and his face cracked as his own grumbling laugh burst forth.

It took a few minutes for their first shared laugh to die down enough to resume kissing once more.

It wasn't the last first they would experience together that night either… ;)

_**FIN**_

* * *

Finished! Whoohoo! I hope this chapter met everyone's expectations for the ending. The suspense was so high from last chapter that I had to take a break for a day or two to calm down enough to start writing this final part.

Just a quick note to say that I will try to update "CC" before June 30th. If I don't, it will be because I'm flying home to visit the folks and there is no Internet access there. I will be working on it longhand then and will post it the minute I get home to Calgary. Probably in two weeks, assuming I don't post before then… Sorry guys. Hang in there, it's coming soon.

Thanks for the awesome reviews. Such inspiration to be found in the rewarding comments others have made.

Aphrael21;)


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